Everybody wants to hear that weight loss is easy. Just think of all the commercials you see for miracles pills or diet plans -- all the smiling, happy people talking about how quick and easy it was. I have two words to say to that: Yeah, right.

The fact of the matter is that losing weight is challenging. Changing any lifestyle habit is a challenge and diet and exercise are no exceptions to that. And, since many people who are overweight have emotional reasons for eating, there's sometimes even more to tackle than simply cutting calories and exercising more.

Divine Caroline counts through nine cold, hard truths about weight loss. For example, while you might have heard that 30 minutes of moderate exercise five days a week is enough, if you want to lose weight, you're better off doing more than that. But don't let the facts discourage you. Yes, changing lifestyle habits is hard ... but the effort is so worth it. Not only will losing weight improve your overall health and appearance, you'll find that you feel better, more positive and energized. The results are well worth the effort you put in.